First day onboard a Princess Ship.

What if any specials might there be the first day onboard? Any dining or perhaps drink specials? Also what might you suggest doing the first day?

To all the great cruisers out there, THANK YOU for taking the time to read my post and a double thank you for any suggestions you reply with!!

You will be able to purchase a drink package (alcoholic or soda only) the first day onboard. It won't be at a special price but is if you buy it later, you will still pay the pricing for the full cruise. It is no prorated for only the days used, in other words.

There are no dining packages on Princess like you can find on Celebrity and no discounts for their specialty restaurants for that first day that I've ever seen. They do give their full suite passengers a free specialty dinner on that first night so they don't have to offer any other discounts to fill their specialty restaurants.

There are photo package specials, but I think you can purchase that anytime throughout the cruise. If you receive a coupon book in your room (via your travel agent), you might see some 2 for one specials in there but it isn't usually something of great value. It is more like match play or a small discount in one of the boutiques.

On port days, you might see a special on some of the spa services ... all depends on how booked up they are.

And, in your daily Patter (schedule of events for the next day), they will list the drink of the day that may be at a slight discount.

I forgot to mention, if you sign up for internet on the first day, you may get some additional minutes added to your account.

Honestly, I've seen better discounts online before your cruise than once you've already stepped foot on the ship, though.

Up on the open deck for sail away waiters will be pushing special drinks, some with souvenir glasses.

We always do the Treasure Hunt the first day. It helps familiarize you with the ship, even if you've been on similar ones before. You might even win something in the drawing held in the next day or so. Must be present to win so watch your patter and pray you don't win the prize from the art auction...

One of the dining rooms--usually, one on Deck 5 or Deck 6--will be open for full-on lunch until 1:30. Many people like to go there first thing after boarding rather than doing the buffet, or the burger grill or the pizza grill. Also, the International Cafe will be open on Deck 5 for bites such as sandwiches and salads.

There us usually a set-up in one of the elevator lobbies where they are selling the various drinks packages. Often included is a three-bottle wine package that I have purchased a couple times. You don't get to pick which three wines, but they are, generally, pretty good wines, and, overall, the price is pretty good.

What if any specials might there be the first day onboard? Any dining or perhaps drink specials? Also what might you suggest doing the first day?

 

To all the great cruisers out there, THANK YOU for taking the time to read my post and a double thank you for any suggestions you reply with!!

Boarding day?

The Premium Beverage Package and the Soda & More packages are sold on boarding day, usually not after.

Look in your cabin for a coupon book sometimes there are boarding day specials.

What to do?

Have lunch in the DR open from noon to 1:30, or if you are on one of the Royal Class ships consider Alfredo's for lunch, it's free. Read the Princess Patter for times and activities, it will be in your cabin. Be aware some activities are really soft sell sales pitches. Treasure Hunt/self tour of the ship. Lounge on deck in warm weather. Mandatory muster drill. Sail away party. Normally there is only one welcome aboard show. Take in the Crooner's piano Lounge usually starting at 9pm, or maybe some live music and dancing in another lounge.

The coupon book will sometimes have a "buy on, get one free" for specialty dining on the first night only. This is usually a coupon book that is a "gift" from your TA.

There are often spa specials for day of boarding and sometimes up to noon the next day. There is a drawing for spa gift certificated (good on certain items only, not nearly as good a deal as they sound like they are), must be present to win.

Treasure hunt "collect stamps on your card" and turn in for drawing--must be present to win.

I drop carryons in cabin if luggage is there put it away sit on balcony with a drink then go grab lunch in the mdr then tour the ship ….back to balcony get ready for dinner

Check the Patter (shipboard informational publication each day) for which dining room is open for lunch (until 1:30) on embarkation day. If you just ask the crew they will almost certainly not tell you which is open and will direct you to the buffet. Rooms on Princess are (usually) ready when you board so we go straight to the room, drop our carry on luggage, stick valuables in the safe, and, if we were boarded in time, go to lunch in MDR.

Several folks have mentioned the coupon book. There are two versions. One is from Princess and mostly good for leveling a table with a short leg. The one with the Buy One Get One Free specialty dining for the first night is only if you get the coupon book as a "gift" from a travel agent.

If you don't drink alcohol I think the Unlimited Soda and More package - $8.05 per person per day (includes the 15% gratuity that is added to drinks) - is a great value. You only get "gun" soda - no cans - but also get all the mocktails you want. They have a mocktail menu but you can really have any "virgin" drink you want.

I don't personally do the treasure hunt but, as others have said, it's a great way to familiarize yourself with the ship and there is always the chance of winning a prize. If you do the treasure hunt you will find where pretty much everything is on the ship.

Note: Port side cabins are all even numbers. Starboard cabins are all odd numbers.

Are any of the specialty restaurants open for lunch on embarkation day or just the MDR?

Is CC dining open/available in the MDR on embarkation day?

What if any specials might there be the first day onboard? Any dining or perhaps drink specials? Also what might you suggest doing the first day?

 

To all the great cruisers out there, THANK YOU for taking the time to read my post and a double thank you for any suggestions you reply with!!

None at all.

Are any of the specialty restaurants open for lunch on embarkation day or just the MDR?

Is CC dining open/available in the MDR on embarkation day?

Specialty restaurants are not open for lunch on any day.

CC dining is available at all meals in the MDR including embarkation day.

The Patter (newsletter in your cabin with list of activities) may list a tour of the public areas on the ship on embarkation day afternoon. You can take that walkaround if you do not want to explore the ship on your own.

Cabins might not be available until around 1 PM, a change from when they were available once boarding commenced.

We wear our swimsuits under our embarkation clothes and like to hit the pool on the first day. Usually everyone is so concerned with getting food and drinks that pools aren't that crowded

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Up on the open deck for sail away waiters will be pushing special drinks, some with souvenir glasses.

 

We always do the Treasure Hunt the first day. It helps familiarize you with the ship, even if you've been on similar ones before. You might even win something in the drawing held in the next day or so. Must be present to win so watch your patter and pray you don't win the prize from the art auction...

What is the treasure hunt? Is it available on the Regal?

What is the treasure hunt? Is it available on the Regal?

It's a little contest in which you are given a paper with maybe 6 to 8 squares representing various venues on the ship. Things like, casino, spa, photo gallery, Internet cafe, a specialty restaurant or two, a certain bar maybe and so on. Typically later on the first day and possibly all day the second day, each venue will stamp their square. When all your spots are filled you place your completed card, with your name and cabin number filled in of course, into a box for a future drawing. Watch the Patter closely for the location of the box and the date, time and location of the drawing. You must be present to win. Prizes include things like spa treatments or just credit, photo gallery items, coffee cards (yea!), free entries to a slot tournament at the casino and my all time un-favorite, the $200 voucher to the art gallery which is good on only certain items of a very high price.

Haven't been on the Regal so I don't know if it's available there but, it's been on every Princess ship I've sailed and I've sailed all classes of Princess ships.

If you are not happy with your dining assignment, the MD will be in one of the dining rooms about 1:30 or 2 pm to try and give you a better assignment. Check Patter for time and location

Thanks everyone, I am on countdown at 64 days (too long actually) and I am primed to CRUISE!!

 

We always do the Treasure Hunt the first day. It helps familiarize you with the ship, even if you've been on similar ones before. You might even win something in the drawing held in the next day or so. Must be present to win so watch your patter and pray you don't win the prize from the art auction...

Ha ha! We did win the art auction prize once, and now when we attend the must be present to win event, we really do sit there holding our breath that we don't win it again!

Here is a tip that I have never seen on the boards before. Bring ear plugs with you.

For the past few years I always bring ear plugs to the evening theater shows. I also bring them to the music presentations in the atrium. Over the years the volume level has been increasing and it has reached unnecessary levels. For my past two cruises I have brought a sound meter with me and I found some shows to average around 85 to 95 dB’s with peaks of about 106+ dB’s. This level is very uncomfortable to listen to and over a long time can damage your hearing. Before retiring, at my work, it was required to wear hearing protection when working around these sound levels. Many times after a show I would ask a few people what they thought about the sound levels and most would say it was too loud or even that it hurt their ears. One time I ran into a comedian who gave a show the night before. I asked him about what he thought about the sound level and he said that he was very surprised at the loudness of the show.

I have brought this matter to the attention of the cruise director and assistant cruise directors but no one wants to listen or do anything about it.

I know that many concerts on land are ultra-loud, but it doesn’t make it alright. Remember the performers wear hearing protection.

I know not everyone will agree with this. If you bring ear plugs, you can then decide for yourself if you want to wear them.

I thought I’d add that on the ships I have been on I have found the loudest were the Royal Princess and the Regal Princess.

My husband is deaf in one ear and always protects his good ear - he has ear plugs with him all of the time, just in case he needs them, and definitely wears them for shows in the theater. I know Princess reads these posts - maybe there should be a separate one about the noise levels in the theater - we even sit up near the top where the sound isn't quite as loud. I'll try to remember to add noise levels in the theater in my satisfaction survey, too. Thanks for measuring the dB level!

DH likes to iron his shirts while I unpack the rest as no one is in the laundry room. We’ve had MDR lunch upon boarding and explore before & after unpacking. If we’ve flown in the same day, sometimes a nap prior to muster is in order!

If you plan on buying Princess logo items from the ship’s shops, they usually have an additional discount if you buy at least 3; this is usually the first night and next day.

When I first get on the ship I used to head to the dining room for a good lunch. On my last couple of cruises I have learned to have a light lunch so I am hungry for dinner. Recently the first night has Prime Rib on the menu. I got tired of not having a good appetite for the meal. Later in the cruise they have a roast beef dinner, but it can’t compare to the Prime Rib on the first night.